
atm
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DTI 2024 catalog available
atm replied to Maurice_lmb's topic in Sword Shows, Events, Community News and Legislation Issues
I’ll be there both days, so I will give a report, too. -
Stolen sword, Fujiwara Masayasu katana, 74.1cm nagasa
atm replied to Gerry's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
UPS offers a higher insurance limit, but I still prefer EMS/USPS. Every sword I have received from Japan via EMS required a signature, and my local USPS carriers honor that. My local UPS, on the other hand, has left high value items outside my front door, despite a signature requirement and me being home to receive the package. I think porch pirates are a greater risk than internal USPS theft. -
Stolen sword, Fujiwara Masayasu katana, 74.1cm nagasa
atm replied to Gerry's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
AOI Art included them in my two most recent EMS shipments from them. Thankfully, we did not need to track them. Including an Airtag is a good idea, especially if a sword’s value exceeds the EMS insurance limit. -
Refinishing a Shirasaya after addition of Sayagaki
atm replied to Lewis B's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Please let us know what you learn from the dealer. He did the same to one of mine, although it looks like he used something more aggressive as there are some scuff marks on the adjacent buffalo horn. I think I can easily (and carefully) buff those scuffs out. -
The meaning of “den” has been discussed a lot here at NMB, including: here It is good to remind ourselves from time to time how it is intended within context.
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I think your display looks great so far. I display mine, too, as I enjoy looking at them even in passing. I keep mine in shirasya, though. I made sword racks that are screwed to the back of the display case. Each rack has six slots and is made from MDF that I cut with a scroll saw and then smoothed out with a router. Since you’re covering them anyway, they don’t need to be pretty. I bought a cheap sword stand from Amazon and used it as a pattern to design and construct mine—mainly to get the spacing and shapes. Once cut, I glued thick felt to it to cushion the shirasaya and koshirae. Over that is a white satin sheet (also from Amazon), which hides the stand and helps highlight the swords and fittings. But with your dark background, a black satin might also work well to highlight the swords and fittings.
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What exactly determines the price of a nihonto?
atm replied to Ikko Ikki's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
I like it a lot. In hand, Tanobe sensei’s attribution makes more sense to me than NBTHK’s attribution. And I like the combination of the big, weighty (albeit shortened) Nanbokucho form with the elegance of the suguha hamon. -
What exactly determines the price of a nihonto?
atm replied to Ikko Ikki's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Maybe I am misunderstanding your intent, but you seem to suggest this is a reason to question Tanobe sensei’s credibility. But these things are not mutually exclusive and more context is needed. A blade having kizu or ware does not automatically disqualify it from achieving Juyo or receiving Tanobe sensei’s praise if it meets other criteria. Yes, Tanobe sensei is human and one person. That said, I am more likely to place his opinion over a shinsa panel due to his depth of knowledge and expertise. Others think the opposite, which is fine, too. As discussed on NMB earlier this year, I have a TH mumei sword that NBTHK attributed to Den Aoe. When submitted to Tanobe sensei for sayagaki, he declined to write it as Den Aoe and explained his reasoning. Instead, with my consent, he wrote a glowing sayagaki as Ko-Mihara Masaie. If you look at this sword, I think you’d agree that the NBTHK shinsa panel got it wrong. After all, they are also human. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/47932-seeking-advice-on-tanobe-nbthk-different-appraisals/ -
Anyone who does not already have the eSwordsmiths and eEncyclopedia books should grab them immediately. I refer to them constantly.
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A nice video about types of Grain Patterns
atm replied to Pierre F's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
A good student of any discipline learns from many sources, including hands-on/in person experiences, books, written descriptions, and videos like posted above. The best asset any student has is an open mind. -
A nice video about types of Grain Patterns
atm replied to Pierre F's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Some Uda school, early Edo Norifusa, and Hankei blades have matsukawa-hada. -
A nice video about types of Grain Patterns
atm replied to Pierre F's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Pierre—you’ll find a lot written about the very famous Norishige and his unique matsukawa-hada here at NMB and in many other sources. There are other swordsmiths with matsukawa-hada, but Norishige’s is distinct, in my opinion. It is beautiful. -
Dai Token Ichi dates for 2024
atm replied to Keichodo's topic in Sword Shows, Events, Community News and Legislation Issues
Here’s what Robert Hughes emailed me earlier this week: Tokyo DTI Additional Events For 2024 1) Sword Study Session at Cinq on Thursday, October 31st.. On Thursday, October 31st, there will be a sword study and dinner party again in Ginza at the Italian Restaurant Cinq (same venue as previous years). Location is quite convenient. Participant fee is yen 5,000 (for the venue) and the dinner party will be sponsored by Mr. Hisashi Saito of Seikodo. Once again, the date will be Thursday Nov. 16th. Arrival time will be from 5:30 p.m. for the sword study. Discussion of swords at 6:30 and the dinner party will follow the sword study at around 7:15 ... Attendance by advance reservation only. Cinq - Access For the Thursday study session, it is very easy to find the venue "Cinq" from inside the Metro System (subway). You go to Ginza Station (on the Ginza line), then go up one level from the platform to the underground concourse and find the B-6 exit. The restaurant/club is called Cinq and it is half way up the exit stairwell. So, you don't even have to exit onto street level, it is right inside the metro underground network. It is very convenient....no long walk or need for a taxi. Pay participant fee on arrival at the venue. The actual street address for Cinq is Ginza 5-4-3 Taikakukan B1 which is the building with the B6 subway entrance, so go down the first flight of subway entrance stairs and you will find Cinq at the first stair landing. Cinq address: 東京都中央区銀座 5-4-3 対鶴館 B1 〒104-0061 Taikakukan B1, 5-4-3 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo cinq - Access - cinq - Access - 2) Saturday, Nov. 2nd Yakatabune Tokyo Bay Cruise..... Arrangements: This event is being planned for Saturday, November 2nd! As in the past, participants would leave from in front of DTI (Tokyo Bijitsu Club) at 6:30 p.m. Cruise to start from 7:00 p.m. Participation by advance reservation only. Notification to attend is also a commitment to pay if event is held...Cost yen 12,000 per participant (tax included). If you plan on going directly to the venue for boat boarding without riding the bus, please notify me in advance as I do a head count prior to the bus departure. Participation will be by advance reservation only. Reservations are finalized 48 hours prior to the event. No cancellations after reservation commitment please…Notification to attend is also a commitment to pay. Cost yen 12,000 per participant (including sales tax) to be paid by 12:00 noon at the DTI. -
I have never been to the Dai Token Ichi. My calendar this year has freed up to where I could go, but it would have to be a quick trip—arrive Friday afternoon and leave Monday evening. Not having more time in Tokyo is not a big deal as I have been there several times before. So for those who have been to the DTI, is it alone worth 30+ hours of travel and the cost of flights? And how limiting is not knowing Japanese? The photos and catalogs I’ve seen make it look pretty amazing and probably worth the time and expense. Any advice is appreciated.
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@Lewis B Are you willing to share a link? I think it would be helpful to see more of the sword in question to better understand the context.
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How old where you at your first nihonto acquisition ?
atm replied to Benjamin's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
When I was about 19, I was working a summer job for my former high school history teacher. He learned that I collected militaria. One day near the end of my shift, he explained that he had a Japanese sword and a German rifle in his garage that had been there for decades. Long before I went to high school, a tornado destroyed the old high school. He said the sword and the rifle had been on display in the school at the time (clearly times have changed) and no one came to claim them after the tornado. So he took them home and they sat in his garage. He decided to give them to me. I did not know anything about the sword, so I took it to a local militaria dealer who explained that it was a traditionally made blade predating the war but in military mounts. It was in rough condition—tired from too many polishes and it probably had been used to hack something by the soldier who brought it to the US. I later traded it for a nice Luftwaffe gravity knife that I still have. I still have the rifle—a matching Mauser K98. It took another 30 years before I acquired another nihonto. -
49, so solidly in the average
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I saw a couple of rather large wads of cash being exchanged, so some clearly came prepared to pay that way. At least one dealer offered to take a sword back with him and then ship it to me after the show. Had I come seriously prepared to purchase, I probably would have brought a large Pelican case and flown a sword home as a checked bag. That’s how multiple dealers had brought their swords.
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Some important questions are: (1) does the dealer offer a shinsa service, (2) is it likely to pass TH, (3) are you prepared to wait about a year for the whole process, (4) what value increase would TH bring? I probably would not pursue TH because of the wait, if it were my sword. But it certainly makes sense to do it while it is still in Japan if you are inclined to pursue TH.
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Is now a good time to buy swords from Japanese dealers?
atm replied to dyn's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Generally speaking, dealers with an English language option on their webpage expect/hope to deal with you—they are purposefully including you among their potential customers. -
Japan export permit takes longer than it used to ?
atm replied to Alex A's topic in General Nihonto Related Discussion
Thanks for sharing—it is good to know the current wait. With the relatively weak yen, I would guess there has been an increase in international buying that has added to the backlog. -
That’s awesome. 785g even with the futatsu ji-hi (dual grooves)! I can see why you think it feels powerful in your hands—because it is! It is a great sword, especially as your first. Congratulations.